Improvement in trays for fruit-driers



E. MGFARLAND. Tray for'Prut-Drier.

' Patented Aug. 26,1879.

N. PETERS. PMDTLITHOGRAFMER. WASHINGTON. D t:A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD MCFARLAND, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRAYS FOR FRUIT-DRIERS.

Specicationforming part of Letters Patent N0. 218,892, dated August 26, 1879 application filed Y June 2h', 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MCFARLAND, of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trays for Fruit-Driers, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a perspective view illustrating a fragment ofl one corner of my improved tray with the protecting-shoe detached from the projecting side piece, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite corner of the tray with its protecting-shoe likewise detached. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one ot' the separated shoes, showing the same in reversed position, so as to obtain a view of its under side. Fig. et` is a perspective view illustrating the application of the improved tray in a stack of two or more, and with one form of an elevating contrivance applied in connection with the stack.

Like letters in all the figures indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has special relation to that class of trays for fruit and vegetable driers wherein the walls of the trays make up sections of the Walls of the drying-flue, and wherein it may be desirable to elevate the whole stack for the purpose of inserting a fresh tray below, or a part ot' the stack for any reason Whatever but obviously my several improvements may be applied in any form of drier wherein their advantages may be desirable.

The invention consists, essentially, in eX- tending the side walls of the tray beyond the end walls, thereby affording a strong and convenient coupling or bearing for the elevating contrivance, of whatever character this latter may be; and it involves, further,the application to such extended side wall of a protecting-shoe calculated to prevent any undue wear thereof either at the bottom, sides, or top by contact of the elevating device, to prevent damage thereto by concussion, to strengthen the corner-joints, and to admit of the easy adj ustment of the elevating-bar during the building of the stack.

These features of the invention and others subordinate thereto will be hereinafter tirst fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

A is the foraminated bottom of the tray, and B and C, respectively, the side and end walls. In Vthe style of driers herein alluded to the trays are generally of large size and nearly square in form, so that the terms side wall 7 and end wall77 may be regarded as referring to either wall at pleasure. The side walls, B, are continued or projected beyond C a short distance, as at a a, forming thereby a strong handle or catch, against which the elevatingbar may be made to bear whenever it is desirable to apply it.

The trays are generally made of wood, ou account of`its lightness, and this form or construction ot the bearing for the elevator is manifestly more strong and durable than any separate attachment could be.

In Fig. 4 the elevating device is shown to be a frame-work, D D, which is made to surround the base of the stack, and to rise and' fall a short distance by the application of some suitable form of raising and lowering apparatus-as a lever and chains, etc. The lowermost tray (and of course all those above it) is carried with this frame when it ascends, and an explanation of this style of elevator will suffice to give a clear idea of the utility of my improvements and their adaptability for use in connection with other styles of elevators.

Upon the frame D D are the locking-bars E E, so hinged as that they will automatically assume a position beneath the projections a a as soon as the trame is sufficiently lowered.

Ihenever the frame is elevated they will serve to connect the tray and frame in such manner that all must move upwardly together. Upon lowering the frame the hinged arms or bars E E ride down upon the inclined Lipper edges of the projecting pieces a c. The stack is built up, tray by tray, by inserting one at the bottom as soon as the others have been sufticiently elevated. This method of building the stack is now well known, and is not claimed herein.

ln order to prevent undue wear of the projecting ends by contact therewith of the elevating-arms E E, I provide the parts ct a with a metallic shoe, F, either of cast or wrought metal, serving to protect. the under side of the projections. This shoe is also made to protect the inclined faces ofthe projections, and their sides as well, either feat-ure being within the limits of my invention. The part f of shoe F is extended back upon the outer wall of the tray, and secured thereto by suitable tacks orscrews, and the part f bent at right angles to the side wall, is secured to the end wall, all as plainly shown. This metallic casing for the projections a a protects them from damage, and forms at the same time a stiffening cornerblock for the corners of the trays, whereby they are niadelessliable to become disarran ged.

Instead of making the shoe F in one piece, :it might be formed of several pieces of metal, either one of which might be omitted at pleasure. For instance, the elevator might be of such construction as to offer no wearing-surface to come in contact with the top part of the shoe, in which event the top would be omitted. Again, as in Fig. 4, it maybe desirable to make a portion ofthe bottom ofthe tray removable through the end wall, in which case the whole or part of the plate j" may be omitted.

When thus constructed and arranged the improved tray and its appendages are found to admirably answer the several purposes and objects of the invention, as previously stated.

The shoes, if made to envelop the projecting ends or handles, as shown, must be made in pairs, one of which fits upon one corner and one on the opposite.

No claim herein is based upon the sectional bottom of the tray, that feature being made the subject of a separate application for patent.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the elevating-bar, the

matched walls of the drying-tray, adapted to form independently-removable sections of the drying-due, the projecting ends a a, and a protecting-plate located on the under side of said projecting ends, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination ofthe elevatingbar, the matched walls of the drying-tray, adapted to form independentlyeremovable sectionsV of the drying-flue, the projecting ends a a., and a protecting-plate-located upon the upper side of said projecting ends, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

The combination of tlie'elevating-bar, the matched walls of the drying-tray, adapted to form independently-reinovable sections of the drying-nue, the projecting ends a a, and a mctallic shoe for protecting the same, said shoe being made to cover the top, bottom, and sides of the projections, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the elevating-bar, the matched walls of the drying-tray, adapted to form independently-removable sections of the dryingtlue, the projecting ends a a, inclined at top, and a metallic shoe for protecting the same, said shoe being made to cover lthe top, bottom, and sides of the projections, and being provided with the side plates, f j", substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD MCFARLAND. Witnesses:

WORTH Oscoop, CHARLES R. SEARLE. 

